C-reactive protein level and obesity as cardiovascular risk factors in polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective: To investigate the role of C-reactive protein(CRP) level elevation and obesity for the increased cardiovasculardisease risk in polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods: A hundred and nine patients with PCOS and 30age matched healthy volunteers with regular menstrualcycle are involved in the study. PCOS group is furthersubdivided into three subgroups according to the bodymass index (BMI). Subgroups included 54 with BMI<25,22 with BMI 25-30, and 33 with BMI>30. Blood samplesfor glucose, insulin, uric acid, and CRP were collected inthe morning after overnight fasting (12 hours). Homeostasismodel assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)was calculated. Results: Fasting blood glucose, insulin,and HOMA-IR was significantly higher in PCOS group(p=0.02, p=0.01 and p=0.02). CRP level was higher insubgroup with BMI>30. High CRP level in PCOS wasfound to be independent from BMI (p<0.001). HOMA-IRand insulin level was higher in the subgroup with BMI>30.When compared with the control group high insulin levelwas the only to be statistically significant in obese PCOSpatients (p=0.005). HOMA-IR was higher in PCOS subgroupwith BMI>30 when compared with controls and thePCOS subgroup with BMI<25 (p<0.001, p= 0.003).Conclusion: Obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and high CRPlevels are seemed to be related and potentiating eachother in PCOS. Struggling with obesity is one of the mostimportant issues for preventive medicine.Key words: PCOS, CRP, obesity, cardiovascular ris

Contribution of spiral artery blood flow changes assessed by transvaginal color Doppler sonography for predicting endometrial pathologies

ive: To investigate the diagnostic value of blood flow measurements in spiral artery by transvaginal color Doppler sonography (CDS) in predicting endometrial pathologies.Methods: Ninety-seven patients presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding and requiring endometrial assessment were included in this prospective observational study. Endometrial thickness, structure and echogenicity were recorded. Pulsatility index (PI) and resistive index (RI) of the spiral artery were measured by transvaginal CDS. Endometrial sampling was performed for all subjects. Sonographic and hystopathologic findings were compared.Results: The histopathological diagnoses were as follows; 39 cases (40.2%) endometrial polyp, 9 cases (9.3%) endometrial hyperplasia, 10 cases (10.3) submucous myoma, 7 cases (7.2%) endometrium cancer, and 32 cases (33%) nonspecific findings. The spiral artery PI in endometrium cancer group was highly significantly lower than other groups (p<0.01). The spiral artery RI was also significantly lower in the patients with malignant histology (p<0.05). Conclusion: Endometrial pathologies are associated significantly with endometrial spiral artery Doppler changes.Key words: Spiral artery, Doppler ultrasonography, endometriu